


Emgram unto me Redux

by AnonIngram



Category: Nandroids
Genre: Blood and Gore, Brain Damage, Death, Evil Corporations, Guns, Implied Sexual Content, Implied/Referenced Cheating, Loving Marriage, Multi, Obsessive Behavior, Older Woman/Younger Man, Swords
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-08
Updated: 2021-02-08
Packaged: 2021-03-14 00:00:22
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 12,285
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29287188
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AnonIngram/pseuds/AnonIngram
Summary: Sorry, to all those who liked my erratic short stories, giving comments and kudos, I asked around for criticism and most said my stories felt rushed and lore dumps. I agreed with most of it so I deleted most of my stories that didn't pass my new parameters, and so I will be going over each and everyone slowly making sure it gets pumped full of the despair, suspense, and surprise you like until it overloads.Anyway, hope you enjoyed this one.And special thanks to RustyHorns, who put up with me, and helped me edit, even though he didn't have to.
Kudos: 1





	Emgram unto me Redux

A man wearing a striped white suit with diagonal black zipper, sitting down at a work desk in a dark library. Bookshelves packed with thousands of books on different subjects, world's told and untold within the pages, some to never be read. Artifacts line the room contained within glass containers of red velvet cushions, ancient swords, stone tablets and an original copy of Malleus Maleficarum. Writing in a journal blackened from use and occasional ink spills, stitched together with brown thread. A blue candle sits at his side, it's soft light gently brushes the pages with light. He taps the fountain pen against the book, ink drips from the black and gold engraved instrument as he ponders on what to write upon the parchment. He beats a tune into the desk with his fingertips before finally getting a rough idea, putting pen to paper.

‘I am Herbert Ingram, son of Gerald Ingram, merchant of death. 

The Ingram clan has served this nation for 600 years as its guardian angels. Giving our body, blood, sweat and soul to this great nation. One of 20 children born to my Mother and father. Born with weak knees as a child, I was unable to be trained as a soldier like my other kin had been. However, my father saw my talents elsewhere. Weapon designs that innovated and surpassed other company designs by decades, by the mere age of 7. He began my regiment of harsh training in weapon manufacture and logistics. The order to tame steel to my will, shape it with my very soul, and construct thunderous weapons of war and hellfire with my own two hands.   
My Father used to say a weapon is only as good as how much soul you used to forge the steel. If there was little to no soul within, it would only be a second rate weapon leading to constant failure and misfires. Maybe it was figuratively, or maybe metaphoric. But you don't own 51% of the entire gun market, without having some knowledge and skill. When he got a partnership with Volkman the leading German robotics manufacturer. Many viable, and fierce competitors that were gunning for the same deal, as it meant owning 76% of the gun market, and 24.3% of the robotics market. Fearing his competitors would try to kidnap me to use as blackmail to force us out of the partnership. He decided to give me an older invention made by our late Great Grandfather.' The man dips his pen into the inkwell. Turning the page he begins the tapping anew, black ink splatters the pages as he wills words to page.   
`The red maiden of black snow and the blue maiden of blonde embers…'

\------------------------------

The morning dew began to evaporate off the grass into the deep blue sky covered in a speckle of clouds. Birds of various colors sang and chirped, dancing amongst the flowers of the massive garden. Nandroids rushing in and out, fertilizing the soil or tending to the crops. Under the massive apple tree in the middle of the garden surrounded by a stone path, was hundreds of years old. Busy slamming a car into a figure of a robot, I was not paying attention as my father approached me from behind.  
"Boy, I have been looking for you all over, your relatives are still here." Huffing as he walked over in a black striped suit, he shook his head as wind blew his grey in hair.  
"I got bored, and wanted to do something fun!" Pouting to him, protesting with all of my might. He got down on one knee picking me up.  
"Boy, do you remember the lesson on courtesy?"  
"You always flush, when you're done, and leave the seat up?" I replied to him with a near whisper. He laughed at me ruffling my hair before clearing his throat.

"You're not wrong, but not right either. Courtesy is when someone does something for you, you do kind things for them in return," Setting me down and grabbing two of my new toys to demonstrate what he meant. "Like this, if Mister robot here says Morning, you say 'Morning, how are ya' back to him, so if your family comes by to give you free things for your birthday you should...?" Gesturing to me, hoping I got the point he was trying to make.  
"You say-you say thank you, very much." I spouted to him trying to make sense of the whole thing. The reply got a chuckle from him as he stood up, a dark steady tower against the bright sun.  
"Close enough I suppose, we oughta get back inside now, gather your things would ya? I have a surprise later but, only if you say please and thank you to each and everyone of your relatives who came by." Checking his pocket watch, as I rushed around to gather up the toys slept strewn about shoving them into my pockets. He grabbed my hand leading me back inside, cleaned me up. After making sure I was ready, we headed back to the ballroom.   
The day was long and hard, cheeks were pinched, ears were pulled, kisses were handed out, blessings were given. A gift from father was a rare treat not many of my siblings were even given. It was something to look forward to, and I would not give up, I would never surrender!

\---------------------------

I grew tired as the day marched on, losing faith that I would prevail. Guests began to leave around the evening time. Some of the elderly family members stayed to play Three Dice or Poker in the back of the ballroom. Father sensing the party would end soon slogged over to me, undoing his tie.  
"Boy, you seem tired you can go to bed if you want." He sat down in an armchair next to me, watching more guests leave escorted out by nandroids.  
"No, I'm a big boy now! I don't need to sleep ever!" I shouted in triumphant victory to him, only to yawn shortly after.  
"Well, if you can stay up for just a bit longer, as promised I have that gift, come on." He said to me getting up, I slumped out of my own chair, waddling after him.  
The sun was beginning to set, turning the dark blues skies of soft white clouds to molten fire of reds and oranges filled with smoke as the night drew near. Leading me into the garden, the stone path lit by incandescent light bulb lamps along the path. The apple tree loomed overhead as a giant monster, reaching its fingertips into the red sky to drink from the blackened clouds. A lone figure stood before the tree, a hero to slay the giant beast.   
The apple blossoms danced and rained their delicate white flower petal upon the stone path. As if the world showered her with gratitude for her beauty, as we approached. Her chassis looked flawless in the evening sun white polished skin, danced and mixed with rays of the dying sunlight. Her maid outfit was made of a black dress beginning at her shoulders, a leather corset tightened around her chestplate bosom and torso. Her arms covered in red ribbons and belts. Gold bangles on her right wrist, her left wrist flowed a single jet black opera glove. Her long black hair had a texture of silk, done into a slender ponytail that reached the back of her knees, ending in a single delicate red bow. Her bright red eyes watched us as we walked up towards her. Bright crimson pools of blood. A warrior maiden clad in armor, fabled allure like a vampire told of in legends of ol’ folklore. A clockwork machine that one could hardly believe was a variant of nandroid, from when it was once a Sterling & Ingram joint project long ago. She looked so human-like, except for her feet ending in long points and her cheek sensors, with the small pink nose, and cut outs above her eyes. My father and her were almost even in height, but she towered over me.   
"We finally meet at last, Herbert," she said, elegantly bowing to me. "My lord has told me many great things about you."  
I was flabbergasted. I just couldn't speak. Her stare made me feel like a rat in a cage, being stalked by a cat mere inches from my face. I squeaked out a reply after a while.  
"H-Hello." I nearly whispered to myself. Father chuckled, before picking me up, and holding me out to her. She cradled me like a delicate flower, red eyes beaming down from the heavens, as if a goddess was looking upon her disciple through the heavens.  
"My, my… you look rather tired, you must have had a long day," She coddled me, before looking at my father. "He seems on the verge of passing out. And you're a mess My Lord, Let's get in before it gets too cold."   
"Yeah, it's been a long day. It gets tiring speaking to senators all day, even for me. I can't wait to just relax by the fire with some Bourbon." My father says nodding in agreement.   
We begin the slow trek to the manor through the garden. Some of the flowers pop open, releasing glowing purple and green petals to catch the slowly rising moonlight as it rises into the night sky. Fireflies swarm the flowers looking for mates. The soft dim sunlight that glowed off her skin as if it were cream, slowly disappeared, replaced by the moonlight, casting a vibrant shadow. The colors began to blur, as I grew more and more tired. The fabric of time and space slowly began to fade as I was dragged into the bliss of sleep.  
"Mom..?" I murmured to her, slowly losing the battle with Mister sandman.  
"Not quite. Not quite…" she whispered to me as she soothed my exhausted and withered core, with her fingers running through my hair. "Just get some sleep, I'll see you in the morning."  
Before I fell into the darkness, her red glowing eyes and pink cheek receptors were all I could see, as everything else buzzed and bleed together into a collage of colors.

\--------------------------------

Upon waking the next morning, jerking awake from bed, looking around the room in approached panic. She wasn't there, I figured it was all a dream. The door bolt jolted my doubts away, before the door was open. She came in carrying breakfast on a silver tray, setting it down on my dresser. She pulled out a foldout table, with an engraved image of a hunter with his hunting dog. Putting the food on the table, she set the silverware down after making sure everything was perfect. Waffles with sausage, bacon, eggs and an orange. Grape jelly smothered each level of the five stack of waffles. Steam came off the freshly warm and perfectly cooked food. Looking up from the meal to ask her something, only to notice she was gone. Perplexed how she kept disappearing like that, only to realize the food blocked my vision. Looking under the table, she waved at me sitting on her knees on the floor across the room. It puzzled me in my groggy mind, how'd a 7 foot tall robot hide behind waffles? The world will never know.  
"Is something wrong?" She asked, looking just as puzzled as I was.  
In anger I shoveled food into my mouth, I was a big kid after all, I could get my own food, I wanted to shout at her, but she was nice to me, and I had to show courtesy like dad said to.  
"Nuthin' justt whunderin' whth youth bringh mee food." I pouted, cramming my mouth with food. She just stared at me in bewilderment before giggling.   
"I just wanted to get off on a better foot, since it was rather late last night," she softly spoke, her hands in her lap. "So I made you breakfast, and figured we could talk for a bit."   
She wanted to talk to me? My mind raced with reasons, on why she'd want to talk to me, the other nandroids usually didn't try to or even dared to. I only got so far before the food wouldn't go down, choking me. She was there in an instant patting my back, helping me rid myself of the phlegm and chunks of eggs. I took a deep breath as soon as the food was gone from my throat, getting the hint of cherries. I pushed her hands away out of anger more at myself than her.

"I-I got it, I'm fine," I managed to wheeze out, after making sure I was absolutely fine, she sat back down across the room. "Than-Thank you though."  
She smiled at my first compliment, even though it was after I was rude multiple times.   
"I just hope you'll take your time when eating, I rather you not die like a weakling." She smiled at me, as she mocked me as payback.  
"As-As if a proud member of clan Ingram would die of choking on food, kn-know your place robot!" I stammered out half embarrassed.  
"Right," laughing, knowing it was mere false bravado as I turned into a shade of tomato. "Anyway, I shall introduce myself, now that we got that out of the way."  
She stood up, and knelt to one knee. Her sword buckles brushing the carpet as her hair went over her red eyes.  
"My name is ARIA, All range Infantry Android. My sole purpose is to protect you. I have faithfully served your clan for 110 years, and you'll be my fourth charge to date," she stated matter of fact, beaming with confidence. "I hope we will get along fine."  
My quiet days as a child were gone. Forced to have Aria at my side at all times, Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, reading time, nap time, learning time, even cherished poopy time, it slowly dawned on me...  
'I laugh at it now, for being childishly foolish. She was there to only protect me, as you might have guessed, I viewed it as an insult at first, I was a “Big kid”, having a beautiful “woman” taking care of 10 year old me, how stupid I was.` He cringed, laughing at himself, as he dabs the feather into the inkwell before going back to the parchment.

\----------------------------

`As leader of Ingram Firearms, father was a very busy man, and was rarely around the manor, but the nandroids he kept around were sufficient in protecting and caring for me and my 20 other siblings when he was not there. On my 13th birthday, my father was about to leave for a business trip to Germania.   
I wouldn't have it, as always.`  
"Father, I have new designs to show you, why must you leave this very moment!?" I shouted at him, dropping papers behind me, which Aria followed behind embarrassingly picking them up, whispering sorry to the other nandroids as we passed by.  
"I have to get this done or we won't have a deal on a majority of K&H stock, and they are showing promising results with their new 9MM VolksPistole 5." He said back to me, as he fixed his tie, annoyed.  
I got more furious, throwing the papers and notepads in his direction, and screamed at the top of my lungs.  
"I can now see how mom felt, and why sh-!" Before I could finish, he was there slapping me across the face.  
"We do not speak about that dishonorable filth in this household," He screamed, biting his tongue to hold back the memories. "It wasn't my decision, damn it. Now go back to studying this very instant!"  
I looked at the floor, on the verge of tears. I couldn't hold it in any longer, great rage developed inside. He only did what he wanted to do for himself, he didn't care! Stomping my feet as hard as I could.  
"I hate you, I hate you, I hate you!" I screamed as loud as I could, I screamed my anguish to whatever God that would hear my pleas up in the heavens. Tears and snot streamed down my face. "You only care for yourself, you disgusting old man!"  
I got no reply, he only stared at me, pitying me, just pitying me! My spite grew into furious rage, but the scent of cherries came back her arms wrapping around me. 

"It's okay, just let it out…" She said comforting me, I just stood there crying. When I calmed down enough, she turned me around and cleaned up my face.  
"Feeling better?" She asked, as I mellowed out from being bitter to just sour.  
"Yush…" I pouted to more or less convince myself, my cheeks red and swollen.  
"Then go apologize, he really does care for you. You are his favorite after all." She said with a big smile.  
"Reawy?" I asked coyly, my eyes bloodshot.  
"Yes, he loves you so much. After all he's worked so hard to get you whatever you want, and always takes your advice," She said, winking at me, before flexing her arm. "Besides he gave you the best of friends anyone can ask for."   
She looked me in the eyes, her smile slowly turning into a frown. "It would make me sad if you didn't see him for months on end, and all he remembers is you saying you hate him, courtesy remember? He does nice things for you all the time. Wouldn't it be nice to apologize before seeing him off?"  
Nodding to her, before storming out of the parlor, as she quickly grabbed all the papers off the floor. I rushed after father slamming doors open.  
Leaning against the 10 foot tall oak and mahogany doors that made up the lobby entrance. Smoking a cigar, his back was facing me as I ran up. Turning around as the sound of footsteps got closer, he smiled at the sight of me running down the hall. I slammed into his leg, begging for forgiveness for my worthless spat earlier.  
"It's okay, I know you didn't mean it," Patting my head, squatting down to look me eye to eye. "You know what would make you feel better? How about you come see Berlin? I know you said you've been wanting to see all those… err…" he scratched his beard racking around the memory inside his skull.  
"Museums, my lord." Aria silent as a ghost, crept up behind us and watched with a smirk, speaking up only to assist him.  
"Oh right, them museums, well bo-. Herbert, would that sound good?" Turning back to face me, he made an odd face to emphasize his question.  
Replying with vigorous nodding, he stood up, dusted himself off, and held out his hand. Grabbing it, we walked out of the main entrance, and down the stone steps of the manor.  
"But when I am going to the meeting with K&H, you're going to stay with Aria the whole time, you understand?" He sternly warned me.  
"I promise, with knives… and whatever else." I said distracted by the idea of going somewhere new, for research!  
"Well, that's good enough so let's go, the driver has waited quite long enough." Hustling down the stone steps, we skipped down by twos and threes. Approaching the car, my father felt something was off. The driver wasn't the usual botler driver in the fleet. He knew all of the names and faces, they were supposed to follow strict dress codes. He didn't remember ordering a new one, but the driver already started turning the ignition key. 

\-----------------------

"ARIA!" Father screamed, pushing me backwards towards her waiting arms. The world slowed down to a standstill, she moved quickly in front of me, squatting down, to cover me with her body, I tried to climb over to get to dad. It was too late, the car exploded into a great fireball. Molten slag, broken glass, and other bits of toasted car showered us.   
Father was shredded before my very eyes. Bone, sinew and viscera were splattered on the stone steps to the manor. His limbs were gone in mere seconds, disintegrated by the fire and shrapnel. Aria took the brunt of the damage, but as I tried to climb over her, my face was burnt by the explosion's heat. Her face plate took a side glance from a larger chunk of shrapnel, sending the Polycarbonate titanium lined steel plating into my head. They dug deep into my skull, tearing my right eye apart, and embedding pieces in my frontal lobe, I blacked out from shock shortly after.

\------------------------------

I awoke with a fright, looking around. I was in some hospital room, painted yellow with floral patterns with some bees and birds among them. Grandfather sat next to me, just watching quiet as a mouse.   
"Glad to see you're back amongst the living, boy. I was wondering if you would outlive me while you slept." He cackled from his dark humor, slamming the cane on the ground.  
"What, where am I?" Looking around the room, the beeping of the machines is a constant painful annoyance to my ears.  
"The manors sickward, you were a vegetable for a few years now. But gladly them doctors went around picking what they could out of ya." He muttered, as he picked his nose.  
He told me everything that had transpired since that day. I was in a medically induced coma as doctors rooted all the bits of metal they could from my noggin. The story was interrupted by a knock coming to the door, giving me a fright, as it felt like bombs going off in my head from the sound.  
"Come in." Grandfather coldly replied to the door. A man I saw only a few times walked through the door. His grizzled beard and tell tale limp gave away who he was.

"I got what you wanted, sir." Colonel Moore said, a gravelly voice, only 50 years of cigar and gun smoke could make. Wearing a black BDU, as all proud family funded PMC should wear. He marched forward, producing a manila folder for my grandfather. His face covered in a sickened scowl, before he saw that I was awake. "Ah boy, glad to see you wide and awake. You seem healthy at least-"  
Grandfather cut him off with a hand gesture, which the Colonel saluted me, before handing the file to Grandfather.  
"Anyway, everything is in there, that we could find we are waiting for your command when ready, sir. Oh and sorry about your dad." He saluted once more before leaving.  
They couldn't find the culprit for the attack that left my father dead. They found it was a Fertilizer gasoline mixture based explosion, an IED. They were still hunting the target but it could take even more years, as most of the evidence including the botlers black box was vaporized. Oddly Grandfather didn't show me anything in the folder, I sat and as he burned the file, throwing the ashes into a trash can. We both sat in silence for a few minutes before looking at me leaning forward.   
"Your father is dead, and no one else is capable of leading. I put a good word in for you to take over." Standing up, he slowly made his way to the door, however when he reached for the handle, something clicked in my mind.  
"What about Aria?" I pleaded with him, I needed more info, it's been years right? "What about her, what happened to her?"  
"The machine?" Grandfather said turning around, giving me a disgusted glare. "We planned to scrap her, but you would keep trying to escape each time we spoke about it. We fixed her up to be better than ever, but I doubt she is gonna- Hey wait!" He screamed as I ripped the IV out, just to fall flat on my face while trying to stand up from the bed.  
"Moron, what are you going in that state?" Grandfather bellowed at me, hitting the call nurse button.  
"I need to go to her, she scarred herself for me. How could I stand here, and not worry?" Snarling at him, as I wriggled on the ground like a mad dog, clawing the floorboards to the door, my only obstacle in my way. The final home run to freedom, the very gate to my cell in hell.  
"You ain't going nowhere like that, you ungrateful bitch." He ranted, cracking me over the head, with his cane. Growling in pain, I cursed him for his treachery towards her.  
"I'll forgive you this once boy, as you took shrapnel to the skull, but mark my words, if you dare try to strike against me again, or disobey my orders, you'll end up like that whore mother of yours." He snickered as nandroid nurses rushed in to pull me back into bed. I cursed him, I cursed the ground he walked, I cursed my clan! She hurt herself for me, how dare they do this to me, to her, to us? Why must she suffer alone while I get dotted on like a mere child. I cursed his very existence.

\-------------------------

`Months passed before I was strong enough to overcome my handicaps from the attack. I struggled to even stand or think sometimes, but I wasn't going to give up. Faceplate shrapnel that went deeper into my brain would be there for the rest of my life. Infrequent migraines would cripple me some days, but they got less and less painful as months passed. I first viewed it as an affront to allow harm to come to her, to not let me see her, slowly I accepted that we were now one person made whole by our wounds, sharing of one flesh. I had to see her once more, I was practically tripping over myself to see her when I walked out of the sick ward wing of the manor. A group of nandroids helped me along the passages taking me back to the manor.  
It was midday, when I reached the main wing of the manor. She wasn't there to greet me like the other nandroids in the manors parlor. I thanked each and everyone of them for their service. We held a moment of silence for father, before I started handing out jobs that needed to be done. I learned each and everyone's name, as a courtesy of course. When I was done, I asked where Aria was, and all of them smiled at each other. As if they were all a hivemind, they replied to me at once, their voices a single chorus.  
"The garden."   
Bowing I thanked them, as courtesy before running off to the garden. She heard I was coming back today, and tried to hide, but subconsciously headed to the first place we met. I stood at the edge of the stone path that went around the Apple tree. Her back faced towards me, her hand pressed against the bark of the tree. It all seemed so familiar.  
"Aria." Whispering at first, taking my first step upon the stone. She didn't turn around when I called her name.  
"Aria." Shouting this time, she still continued to resist my call. I didn't want to but I would have to use my last resort.  
"Aria, as Lord of the manor, I beseech you to turn around and face your master when he speaks to you." Screaming at her, I needed her to listen, I had to talk to her.  
"I was listening the first time, I just debated if I really wanted to see you," She said in a broken tone, as she continued to face the tree. "After all, I am the reason for your father's untimely death, and…" She spouted, raising her hand weakly to gesture to my face, her arm fell limp back to her side.  
"Aria, please look at me, don't make me order you again, please," Why, why, why. God damn it, why won't she look at me? "Please, just look at me."  
"I am a failure!" She screamed, ripping bark off the tree with tremendous speed, as her body shuddered. "I'm a failure, they torture me by having not scrapped me yet."   
"I'm glad they didn't, you did your best of your ability, I can never fault you for it." I said meekly to the blades of grass, having never heard her scream before it caught me off guard.

"Why? 118 years of perfect attendance to the charges of your clan, and I let one get maimed and the other killed." She turns her face to look at me with one eye, the deep cracks of her faceplate showing.  
"Aria, am I just a number to you?" Stepping closer to her, her shuddering was more noticeable, but being a weapon I had to be cautious.  
"No! No! No! You'r- you're…" she protested slamming her fist into the tree, branches shook violently.  
"What am I then, Aria?" I said closing the distance, mere feet between us now. I had to tell her, I needed to let her know. Grandfather was wrong, she wasn't a mere machine. She was much more.  
"You're… you're…" She mumbled to herself, slamming her head into the tree bark.  
"I can't hear you, please just turn around, I need to speak to you. How can I hear you, if you won't even speak to me properly?" Mere inches from her, her black hair flowing slightly in the wind, the scent of cherries filled my nostrils.  
"You're… my Lord." She said, defeated, turning around to face me. Red eyeliner ran down her face, casting the image she cried blood. Her lipstick was smeared all over her lips. Her bangs had become unkempt, flowing everywhere with split ends. But Grandfather wasn’t lying, her spiderwebbed faceplate had been filled with clear epoxy, which pulsated pink, a beautiful exotic flower before me. I stood there taking it all in, intoxicated with her very essence. Making the first move. I sighed, grabbing a rag from my back pocket, and began to clean her face. Her eye receptors used a chemical similar to windshield washer fluid, but it was more viscous to simulate tears, I would need to get it all off.

"Lord, ple- I can do this…myself..." she squeaked out, lifting her arms in protest, but they fell back down after I forced them out of my way.  
"Please, just deal with it for a moment would you? Besides if you could, you would have taken care of it before I arrived, now hold still please." I said, putting elbow grease into removing the caked in makeup off her faceplate.

"Please Aria, come back with me, protect me once more. Be by my side." I whispered to her, as I finished cleaning up her left cheek.  
"But-but-but-." She was stuck in a loop, not sure of what to do or say.  
"Aria, I won't take a No for an answer." Looking her in the eyes, with a stern gaze.  
"My-my Lord, I am a failure, and… and I only deserve to be scrapped! Please let me die honorably." She shouted to me, the sound deafened my ears.   
"Aria." I muttered, putting the make up drenched rag into my back pocket. "That isn't an honorable death, that's cowardice. Running from our problems is not our clan's way, but I will overlook it, if you become my bride." I said gazing into her eyes, waiting for her answer. She didn't say anything, as she stared at me, mouth open.

"Are… you sure, my Lord?" Her eyes began to gain back her old spark, as her voice sputtered catching on words, as she began to overheat.  
"Absolutely, no matter how many limbs I lose, I am in your debt for life. I wouldn't ask to have anyone else by my side," Silently assuring her as I held her face in my hands. "If you weren't there I'd be dead twice over, you did such a fantastic job, please stop putting yourself down, it breaks my heart."  
"My Lord, you have no idea how relieved I am to hear such words." She spat out, as her eye cleaner started gooping out again. "But… your family, the clan?"  
"Doesn't matter, I don't care what they think, if they dare try to take you from me, I shall kill each and everyone of them." Boasting to her, trying to reassure her, a big smile plastered to my face.  
"My Lord, don't utter such things in the open, please!" She objected mortified at the idea. "I don't want to lose you a second time, please."  
"I'll promise only on one condition, you promise me something in return." I said quietly into her ear as flowers released their glowing petals brightened the surrounding area, mixing with the lamps.  
"I've already sworn my life to you, there's nothing else I can give to you." She chirped out, as her cheek receptors began to run hotter, turning shades of pink.  
"Aria." I grasped her hands, her red eyes watching me in bewilderment. "When the Archive comes for my 18th birthday I have a plan, and we can be together forever."   
"Ar-ar-are yo-you positive, my Lord?" She machine gunned out a nervous train wreck, her sensors reaching a deep red. "A mere servant, do you have any idea how they’ll react?"  
"You're no servant, you haven't realized that yet?" Grabbing her hand, letting her feel my right eye, all of its contours and bumps, the scar she gave me. "We're already one in body and soul. It doesn't matter what happens, I only want you."   
“My Lord, you risk dishonorment and being cast out of the clan, name stricken from the record for me! Do you know how hard this is?"  
“I already made up my mind, nothing will stop me.”  
“Are you sure this is what you want? There might be no return after you tell them.” She murmured through her tears.

“I fell in love the moment I first gazed upon you. And if I have to keep saying it until I'm blue in the face, that's exactly what I'll do." I promised her in a somber tone.  
"Sa-say that again… I didn't quite catch that." She gushed out, her check sensors turning bright reds, as her CPU was at its limit.  
"I love you, with all of my being, heart, and soul." I avowed to her louder, her tears had stopped, but her chassis was turning a shade of light red now.   
"My Lor-Herbert, you have no idea how much it means to hear that." She blurted out a smile upon her face as she resumed sobbing. I pulled her into a hug, patting her head. Which was a feat of itself being 6'5" but I made do.

"The things you must have suffered through as I was in that coma. I never could imagine what I'd do if you ever disappeared." I just held her, body burning in my hands as she cried. I took in all the pain, using it to sharpen the grit of my mind as I comforted her. Her chassis began to cool down in the cloudless night after a while, she quietly sobbed.  
"I visited you many times, yet I could never force myself to come in. I just stared at you from the doorway, watching." She confided in me sniffling, pulling on my jacket sleeves.  
"I'm really glad you visited, but I have a favor to ask you, I'll forgive you for not coming in if you help me practice my waltz. I'm not as good as I used to be, and I rather spend some time with you, to make up for all the lost time." Telling a half truth that I frankly wasn't good at dancing anymore, having lost most of the muscle memory for it. I really just wanted to hold her in my arms.  
"I wanted to talk with you some more too." She coughed out, stepping away from me. I held out the rag for her, taking it she cleaned her face of the excess receptor cleaner, and handed back the rag. As I stuffed the rag back into my pocket, looking up her hand was held out, but she was looking away from me. I grasped her hand and we began the moonlit waltz.  
The full moon in full swing, she took the lead in the waltz as she kept the tempo in her head, as we danced the night away in the glow of the moon and flowers. We both twirled and spinned, laughing as we swayed to an imaginary beat. Birds stopped chirping, only the fireflies, glowing flowers, and street lamps illuminated our sultry midnight getaway. I was just glad she didn't have normal feet, or I might have accidentally stepped on them. 

"My-my, you're quite awful at this." She sarcastically snickered, as she swung down in my arms.  
"I just had to wait until my beautiful princess woke me from my slumber, and I did say I didn't have much practice either." I popped back, spinning her out of the circle, dancing in sync going around in a circle, before reaching my hand out.  
"Seems this might take all night, and I have nothing else to do…" she purred to me, letting me pull her back in, going into a closer spin, lifting her up and setting her back down as we spun faster. She stops my foot, forcing me to stop as we stand directly under the tree.  
"If it's with you, I wouldn't mind if that was the case." Pulling her closer, our faces closer than ever before, we stood there frozen. Both hearts beating rapidly, mechanical and flesh in perfect harmony. The thumping of blood in my ears, my only thought was her eyes and the smell of cherries. The silence was broken when there was metallic applause, we both looked over as the other nandroids were clapping on the edge of the stone path of the apple tree. A petite Com-droid came forward from the crowd of nandroids, her hair ended in a black bow towards the arch of her back, made into a single braid. She had bright azure eyes like a pulsating blue star. She wore a Kevlar chest rig over a generic black and blue maid outfit. She clapped as she approached, grabbing the hem of her skirt lifting it up in a curtsy. She looked like a modern day Valkyrie.  
"Master, I have come to report that the Ambassador of Germania is here to give his condolences. But he could not find you, so he sent me instead." She bowed, her magazine pouches swaying back and forth. I looked at Aria, then back to the mysterious nandroid.   
"I see, and your designation?" I asked in case this went south, I never saw her before, which means she's with the Ambassador, but why did he bring her?  
"Acknowledged, my designation is SOPHIA, Special Operations Personnel Huntress Infantry Android. I'm a Gen 5 Nandroid, built in a corporate co-op between Volkman, IFI, and Sterling," She listed off every weapon she had internally, and each of her preferences on firearms before... “I'm single, a small chest plate is installed, and I had a sexual stimulant package installed as well, if you desire to use them at any time."  
"I see… w-well is the Ambassador still here?" I stuttered out adjusting my shirt, looking at Aria who squinted at Sophia.  
"Affirmative, he is currently waiting in the study." She bowed once more, before leading the way.

\-----------------------------------

A large library, four stories tall, lined end to end with books of various types. A elderly man sat in an armchair made from the skin of a Grizzly bear by the burning fireplace. The flames gently amplified his features, a large brown mustache that covered the majority of his lower face, and soft grey eyes. Sitting across from him in a chair made from a puma, I accepted a glass of Bourbon from Aria.  
"It's been a while since I last saw you." He gingerly spoke to me, setting down a cup of tea. He reached into his coat pocket, pulling out a manilla folder. He set it down onto the coffee table between us.  
"Indeed, Ambassador Henklebakker. It has been a long time, how have you been?" I politely ask him leaning forward in the chair.  
"Not good, Radical Terrorists have been popping up more and more, and they only blame the chancellor." In anguish, he took out a handkerchief dabbing his forehead.  
"I see, and you need my family's help?" I already knew the answer.  
"Yes, but sadly we are currently tied down on weapons, and money to trade for your services. Instead I was told to offer Sophia to you instead," He turned around, gesturing to her, before he shuddered a bit while turning to face back towards me. "She is a new prototype that your father was working on, we figured it best you were the one to have her."  
"I see…" I quietly muttered, finally knowing why father wanted to go to Germania that day. "Are the terrorists linked to father's death?" The Ambassador gestures with his head to the files between us, his face covered in regrets.

"When do you need Black Fox?" I bluntly cut in, reaching for the file.  
"Three weeks from now, there will be an Operation from GSG-9, to breach several suspected terrorist hideouts. We need Black Fox attacking several other hideouts that need to be off the record." The elderly man assessed as he took a sip of his tea.  
"Understood, I'll have them prepped," I assured him as he stood up dusting his coat off. "And thanks for stopping by."  
"No problem, it doesn't hurt to have some trustworthy human company around." He gravely spoke to me, watching me through the corner of his eye. The door silently closed behind him, in rage I crumpled the file and threw it into the fire. The treacherous swine, I knew it.  
Standing up, Sophia and Aria were standing at attention near the door. I walked over to look them both over, before clapping my hands together. "Ladies, I have jobs for you."  
"Lord!","Master!" They shouted in unison bowing, waiting for my orders.  
"Sophia, call Colonel Moore, I need him here in 15 minutes, or less. Then call the other nandroids of the manor into the Ballroom, preferably without delay." She saluted before running down the hall, I needed to figure out something less boss-like when ordering my nandroids, maybe more personal?   
"Aria."  
"Yes, Lord?" She responded looking confused.  
"I need to figure out a suit to wear, oh and could you… I mean I heard you were programmed with homecare skills, so I'm wondering if you could make me an eyepatch?" I stammered out, looking down to the floor. She smiled putting a hand to her lips to hold in the giggles.  
"Aye, Aye Captain."

\------------------------

I entered my Father's old bedroom, dust had settled everywhere. It seemed the nandroids left it alone out of respect for him. I need to ask them to start cleaning in here again, as after all it was my bedroom now. Opening the walk-in closet, various colors of two piece suits and vests beamed back at me. This would… take a while.  
"Lord, it looks good, and goes well with your hair." She tried to flatter me, but I shook my head, brown just didn’t feel right to me. I looked at the endless dark colored suits that lined the closet walls. Pushing boxes up and down, nothing good was in any of them, other than dark colors, bright and vibrant colors, black, black, black, and more black.  
"Let's try to find his wedding suit." I suggested digging through some boxes.  
"Why, it's too early for that…'' she cooed, putting a finger to her lips embarrassed.  
"I rather wear something that isn't black. And besides it'd look good next to your red and black." I grunted back, checking another box up top.  
"Oh, in that case, it's over there." She pointed to a padlocked safe at the far end of the closet.   
"Why the hell is it in there?" Bewildered at the idea of putting clothing in a safe.  
"Your mother, if I remember correctly, her dress is in there too." She tapped her lips, trying to scratch the surface of her vast memory of 118 years. I rush over, trying everything to open the safe, but to no avail the chains don't even budge. Calling Aria over to snap them off, which she did perfectly, before ripping the safe door open.   
I took it out slowly, as if touching a relic that had been lost to time for centuries. A soft white dress, covered in floral patterns. I grip it between my hands, my father kept it all along. He lied to protect me all these years. Aria comforts me as I hold the dress in my arms, the last thing I have of my mother. I take deep breaths trying to calm down, after a few minutes I relax. I stand up bringing the dress up to Aria… a 5'6" dress won't fit a 7' robot. I hand it to her to safeguard, reaching into the safe to grab a striped white suit. Armored with quadruple Kevlar thread and tungsten fiber cores. Diagonal black zipper going down the front, it wasn't stylish for the modern day, but it seemed more practical. I told Aria to cover her eyes as I changed. She did as told, but uncovered one of her eyes, which I could clearly see in the mirror. I rolled my eyes, getting on a white dress shirt, and a fitting black tie. Grabbing a black vest, and finished with white pants. I reach deeper into the safe, finding a small white box. Shaking it, it produces slight shuffling noises, I put it into my pocket. Getting the suit jacket on last was sort of a hassle with the shoulder holster I wore, but eventually I got it on fine. I felt different looking at himself in the mirror. Something was strange, irregular, absolutely wrong. She was watching. His tie tightened as he spotted a small nandroid with purple eyes at the entrance to the walk-in closet. He spun around, she was gone, vanished. The uneasiness was still there, muted as a tingling in the back of his skull. He shook violently as he watched the entrance for her to return.   
"Lord? Are you alright, your face has gone pale." Aria puts a hand to my forehead, holding her metal hand against my flesh checking for my temperature. It calmed me down enough to move again, the feeling of malice gone, our being, our bond connected once more. 

"Yes… fine, just shocked he had her dress is all, sadly it won't fit you. But I do like your default appearance better." I choke out as I fought to catch my breath, rubbing the back of her hand.  
We both sat there in perfect bliss, as heels pounded down the hall to the master bedroom, the door slammed open. Sophia opened the closet door, and just stared at us. We eventually snapped out of it.  
"Master, all nandroids have been summoned to the parade line," she saluted before sliding the closet door slowly, a devilish grin spread across her face. "And sorry for interrupting your reprimand session."  
I began to nervously laugh, before long Aria joined in. We soon got lost in the madness, I laughed until my sides burned in agony, it all felt odd, the long years I have been in the hospital all just a happy ending. I just couldn’t believe all the convenience of how it all played out. 

\---------------------------

Looking down from the podium upon the 100 nandroids gathered before me, all in a neat and orderly line on the left side of the hall. Dressed in black BDU were the family PMCs, they were not connected by blood, but they served faithfully the family cause, they stood in neat lines rivaling the nandroids in near synchronization.  
Aria stood behind me, while Sophia wasn’t present as she gathered some papers. Colonel Moore was standing with his arms crossed to my right. To my far left was Sorority, Captain of the nandroids, a Gen 3 Com-Droid, customized personally by my father for a worst-case last stand of the manor. She was packed with enough explosive arsenal to destroy a small third world country warlords palace. Her gold eyes had several different tracker suites installed, and they matched nicely with her black hair.  
"Servants." I bellowed, trying the best I could with what Aria taught me, on how to be a Fearless leader as she put it.  
They all responded by saluting, before shouting back, "Lord." Both the Colonel and Sorority nodded with satisfaction.   
"As Lord of the Manor, I have new orders." Sweeping my arm sideways, to empathize my statement. I doubt this is how a true leader would act, but Aria winked at me, reassuring me. I cleared my throat before going on with my speech.  
"Corruption has seeped into the very foundation of the clan. I cannot stand by and watch any longer as they treat you as disposable toys to collect riches, when my father died, they used it as an excuse to rip apart his assets for themselves, instead of using it to further the family." I growled at them, nandroids gasped in surprise at this revelation, while the men in black stood silent . "The elders have lost what the true mission of the clan is, to serve the country, now they only serve themselves. I plan to prune the tree to a more acceptable level. But sadly hearing this, will paint a target on your back. All I can say is I have never seen you before, and that’s the best hope for your life. If you would like to leave, leave now." I assured them, some of the PMC tipped their berets or caps down to cover their faces. Nandroids looked at each other judging what to do before looking up at me for guidance. Both groups held steadfast, waiting for next orders before a few of the PMCs began to leave. As they opened the door, Sophia was waiting on the other side, a silver Colt 2025 in hand, barrel pointed towards the men leaving. She pulled the trigger, the casings hit the ground before their lifeless corpses crumpled in a heap to the floor. She lowered the weapon walking over the corpses, her face covered in the blood of cowards. Closing the door behind her, she bends the bars into a cross locking pattern preventing anyone from leaving through that side door. She quietly took her place behind me at the podium.  
“Good, if there is anyone else who would like to leave, you may do so now.” I decreed to them their faces in shock as they turned to face me, my stern face did not relent, I had too much to lose. After seeing everyone stay where they were I went over the plan.` He dabbed the pen into the inkwell once more sighing, shaking his head. He goes back to writing with the fountain pen while mentally beating himself.

\--------------------------------------------

“Master, are you positive this will work?” Sophia bluntly asked in a bland tone looking over her sequin dress of bright blues and blacks to match her eyes. She wore a blue and white rose corsage, and her hair was wrapped into a tight bun.  
“I have already done the preparations for everything to go smoothly.” I asserted trying to not let my nervousness come through in my tone as Aria adjusted my tie. Her dress was shorter Red and black with floral patterns, several ribbons and scarves adorned her neck, several red rose corsages lined her hair.  
“Have faith in our Lord, he has worked hard to get this all ready,” Aria reassured Sophia and myself, by agreeing to my statement. “You should be grateful for even being by our Lord’s side on such a sacred day.”  
“I have complete faith in my master,” Sophia stated matter of factly playing with her hair. “I have no faith in an outmode such as yourself though.”  
“O-Outmode!? I’ll have you know I have served our Lord’s family for 118 years now, and I have not once needed to have any major functioning part replaced.” Aria smuggly replied, but I could tell her confidence was lowering.  
“Sophia, now is not the time for jokes.” I emphasized trying to get her to understand, as I adjusted the cufflinks. If they bicker too much now, the Elders would be suspicious of us right away. Flicking open a silver pocket watch, the glass faces showing the inner working of the mechanisms. Time slowly ticked down, but we still had a few minutes left.  
“Aria, did you get what I wanted?” Calling out for her, as I looked over myself in the mirror. Not bad, but it’s missing something, a little spice, a bit of pizzazz. She walked over with a small wooden box, dropping it in my hands. Thanking her I accepted the box, it felt rather light in my hands. I unclasp it, taking the lid off. Inside was a velvet gold and black embroidered eyepatch, I rubbed the fabric between my thumbs, soft and smooth like satin silk. Placing it on my right eye I pull it taut over my head, one last inspection of myself.  
“Well, how do I look?” Looking for their opinions I turned around, my boots tapped on the hardwood floor of the lobby dressing room.

“Rather dashing, it fits you perfectly my Lord.”  
“Acceptably dressed, Master.”  
Taking a bow for such kind compliments, lifting my head and holding my hand out. “Sophia, gun.”  
“Understood, I added several personal modifications to your pistol, including a chrome slide and buffer tube. I also took the liberty to personally lubricate it thoroughly, master.” She winked at me as I held the pistol between two fingers.  
“...Thanks.” I slid the pistol into my shoulder holster, making sure it didn’t peek through the fabric of the suit. I checked the pocket watch one last time, everything was going according to plan, all that was left was to get this party started. I pulled Aria and Sophia close, locking our arms together and escorted them from the dressing room as I kicked the door open.   
“Ladies it’s showtime!”  
Guests lined the halls of the ballroom end to end. Senators, kingpins, presidents, warlords, anybody who was anybody was there. Shaking hands with some of them as I made my way to the podium. Grandfather sat amongst the other six Elders at the back of the stage. I bowed to them taking my spot on stage, waiting for the ritual to begin. Bestowed with a blue scarf with gold embroidery upon my shoulders. The bearer of the Archive hands me a lit glowing blue candle, which I cradle in my open hands. He raises his hands, quieting everyone down before walking to the podium. They all take their seat amongst the dining tables.  
“With this coming of manhood celebration, we also like to bestow the title of War master upon a man whose Father was taken by cowardly, and dishonorable men. He will take his revenge on those who have wronged him, but first…” Setting the Archive upon a stone slab flipping through the ancient oiled pages. The book covers are made with blackened human skin, sewn together with human hairs of the families first victims of war. He stops when he reaches an open spot in the book, and holds out a black fountain pen.  
“Write young warrior, leave your mark…” He whispers to me, gesturing for me to take the mantle. I grasp the pen, and put my name into the book. He holds a small ancient dagger out towards me. Grabbing the dagger, the blade worn from use. I press the hunk of old iron against the palm of my hand and slowly drag it across. Blood begins to bubble to the surface as the jagged iron edges rips my warm flesh apart. I feel it’s hunger and bloodthirst through my pulsating veins. I clench my fist before slamming it against the entire page and sweeping down covering centuries of names with my blood.  
“What have you done, fool!” Cries the bearer rushing to stop me from removing hundreds of years of progress. With a foul scream he pulls out a Doppelhander sword from his red cloak, charging towards me.  
“No, I am quite sane. History is written by the victors after all.” I unholster the large .101 ACP, firing it into his chest. He crumples to the floor as people begin to freak out, running for the exit only to find them locked. They bang on the doors, shaking its hinges and frame, no reply from the other side. I snap my fingers, Aria and Sophia spring into action. The clans elite warriors are no match for two fully equipped custom Com-droids who swiftly cut through them with ease. After mere minutes, all that remains alive on stage is 5 Elders, and Grandfather, shock and disgust spreading over their faces.

"Master, I'm sad to report, my dress has reached the minimum tactical requirements, status: ripped from gunfire and drenched in human blood," She swabs a piece of gore from her dress, and proceeds to lick it off her finger, seemingly disgusted by the flavor, she wipes what remains on her dress. Which just ends up coating her hand in fresh blood. "Should I take it off?"   
"Keep it on for now, we have a few more bits of trash to clean up," Pointing to the elders all sitting behind us. "I'll get the guests situated, you tie up these old shitbags." Walking up to the microphone, ripping it off the stand proceeding to test it a bit.  
"Ladies and Gentlemen, please take your seat. I have an important announcement to make." Shouting into the mic, I just stared at those headless chickens scurry around, I tapped the microphone again to make sure it was working. It doesn't seem to calm them down. They keep clawing at the doors trying to get out.  
"Alright then," I enthusiastically clap my hands together. "Ladies, please show the guests back to their tables, if they don't comply… well you know what to do."  
Nandroids servicing the guests moments ago, drop their platters and trays to the floor. Pulling out modified short barrel 9mm SMGs from under their skirts. Firing them into the air as the first round of warning shots. Guests turn around towards the now closer gunfire, the nandroids gesture for them to sit down. With the majority understanding what they're trying to say, they begin to go back to their chairs. Some guests still in shock foolishly draw their guns, and proceed to get gunned down without mercy with a smile. After all of the guests are secure, the bodies are quickly cleaned up and incinerated backstage.

"Now then, that's more like it. Thank you for acting civilized. I have two announcements I'd like to make," Grabbing the Archive and handing it off to Sophia, who runs it off stage left. I turn back to the crowd, dabbing my face with a handkerchief. "I'd like to state first that I am the new and only Elder from here on out. I will become the face of the Ingram clan, and anyone who can't accept that?" With a finger gun, I point it to the first elder on the far left, mouthing the word bang. His head yields an explosive decapitation, resulting in a beautiful fountain of blood and greasy brains. Arias left hand split open, the gun barrel inside slowly revving down, smoking.  
"Now the second thing? You're probably wondering what it is, right? Well I wanted to give a very special girl in the audience something very special tonight," I pulled out a pearl case, engraved on the front is the name of my mother. "Aria, come here."  
"Yes, my lord?" She walks over, gore drips onto the floor from her dress. Her cheek sensors glow a soft vibrant pink.

"Remember what I said in the garden? You never really gave me your official answer, so I'’d like to ask it again and with everyone to bear witness," I fall to one knee, splattering gore across my pants leg, as I open the pearl case, contained within is a 24K gold ring, a large pomegranate Garnet gem adorns the center, surrounded by a cast of white diamonds. Sophia snaps the neck of the Second elder, a flurry of furious emotions streak across her face, as jealousy eats her. Aria tries to bury her face in her hands, as her chassis begins to irradiate a faint red, her cheeks a deep pool of dwarf sun crimson. “Will you marry me?”  
"L-Lord, I c-can't possibly answer you in front of all these g-guests." She stutters out, shaking from embarrassment. She bites her lip as her eye cleaner once begins to glob out.  
"If, y-you'll have me, then…" Whispering to herself looking at me. Some of the nandroids clapped for her, cheering her on, chanting for her to accept. She lowers her hand for me to slip the ring on, she gazes upon the ring on her finger, admiring the dazzling gemstones. She looks back at me, tears running down her face. The crowd slowly begins to clap, some at the behest of their nandroid guardians. I take out my handkerchief cleaning her face of tears, careful to avoid smearing her makeup. I only managed to put it in my pocket before she kissed me. Aggressive and demanding. I returned in kind, accepting her into my mouth as we shared the moment together. Time ground to a halt as we took passion in each other's arms. When we parted I was gasping for air as my saliva dripped from her mouth, she smiled, licking her lips.  
"Registration complete." Was all she said as we stood there holding each other. She was finally mine, and mine alone. 

"Now then, ladies. Let's get-" I began to speak, before Sophia forcibly pulled me from Arias arms, kissing me. A wild animal forced onto me, a caged beast in heat. She held me there tasting me, savoring the flavor. She let go after a few minutes, I fell into a gore puddle, the warm vicious material soaked my backside something fierce, looking up she was grinning ear to ear.   
"Registration is complete, as if I would be outdone by an outmode, I will become his superior wife." She boasted slamming a fist to her chest. Aria walked up engulfed in righteous fury.  
"You flamboyant home wrecker." All 43 of her guns unfolded from her chassis, fully engaged, loaded, and ready for battle.

"You merely tricked my master, with those failures of tactical superiority you call a large chestplate, as if they would be useful in battle." Sophia continued to jest Aria, her sweet smile turned into a sinister, as she unhinged her back, all 62 weapons fully deployed, loaded, and ready for battle.  
"Ladies, we can solve this later please. There's still more work to do." But it was to no avail, they just wouldn't listen to me.  
"Master, tell this out mode that I am more tactically superior, for I have better specs." Sophia snarled, staring down Aria like a Mad Dog.  
"Lord, tell this socially unacceptable excuse of a paperweight that she is only useful as a Guard dog." Aria sneered at Sophia, staring at her like she was a bug. Both of them were at each other's throat. I had to stop this before they turned the mountain side into pebbles. Getting up off the floor. I smack the back of their heads, which stung my hands something fierce. They stare at me as if I had gone mad.   
"As if I would care about this argument on who is better or not. You're both special to me, I couldn't look at myself, knowing that you hurt yourselves over such a petty reason," I lean in closer to their faces. "Besides, we still have guests, can you stop embarrassing yourselves? We will deal with this later."

They nod, folding their weapons back into their bodies. They stare at each other, before Sophia is the first one to speak up starting with a sigh.  
"Acknowledged, I guess sharing my master, wit-with… an outmo- outstanding Com-droid… is within acceptable mission parameters." Sophia puffed her cheeks, while grinding her teeth.  
"I have no issues sharing my Lord with… a loyal servant, as long as she behaves herself." Aria exclaimed, her eyes twitching.  
"Good, now ladies. Let's get this party rolling again." Picking up the microphone off the floor.  
"Ladies, give me a beat, if you would kindly, preferably with a snap." I gesture with a finger gun towards the band made up of nandroids, who began to get underway.  
“Ladies and Gentlemen, sorry for the delay. Let’s get this party into full swing, and onto the main event.” Shouting to the crowd, as I walk towards the third Elder. Snapping my fingers to the beat strutting through the gore and blood. Putting the gun to his skull. I cock back the hammer, snapping in tone to the band. I pull the trigger splattering his brains against the armchair. I kick his lifeless corpse, the chair clattering on the hard wood stage. Tapping in tune with the notes as it reaches crescendo, blood splatters up my pants leg as I dance in the puddles of viscera. I swing my head side to side, moving onto the next Elder, who begins to piss himself.

"Relax, it's your special day tonight, enjoy it!" I reassure him, lifting the gun to his eye level. I fire the gun into him, empty casings clatter to the floor with a plop as they sink into the gore. He gasps suffocating on his own blood gurgling, it boils in his throat.   
"Now don't give me that look, you're our final contestant, well folks, what shall we do with him? Will he last longer than the others!?" I retort to the crowd as Grandfather rocks back and forth in his chair, the last living elder in the room. My flesh and blood, grandfather gets to his feet, after breaking the duct tape, which Sophia tied loosely on purpose. Trying to hit me with his cane, I merely shoot his kneecaps out, forcing him to fall down into the exquisite festering blood puddle. The slide locks back to my frustration, I look at it as my grandfather laughs to himself, on the floor. His knees sway useless at his side, falling back onto the floor trying to crawl to me. Watching his broken form crawl around like the disgusting worm he was, the swing music drowned out the noise of my internal disgust for the treacherous old man.  
“You’ll regret this boy, I’ll make sure you regret this. With every fiber of my being, with what I have left, I’ll hunt you down to the ends of the earth.” Grandfather wheezed out trying to crawl up my pants legs hysterically laughing.

“I already regret not shooting you first, now you ruined the mood with your constant stupid prattling bullshit.” I retorted, throwing him off my legs. Putting the pistol back into its holster, I walked over to the cane that had fallen to the floor. Grabbing the old hickory stick, it called for more blood, and I was happy to oblige. Walking over to his crumpled form still trying to get up to bite me, to do something. I beat it over his head with a crack, he screams out in pain mixed with laughter.  
"Just shut up already you annoying prick," Attacks get more vicious as teeth and wood chips fly from his face with each consecutive hit. I slam it against his skull over and over as I shout a mantra. “When. You. See. My. Parents. While. You’re. Rotting. In. Hell. Ask. Them. Both. For. Forgiveness. For. Your. Pompous. Fucking. Ass.“ Blood turns my once white suit dark shade of reds, greens, browns, and pinks. With each successful hit of the cane his face becomes a fine slushie of bone and grey matter. The cane breaks in half after being used to beat a dead weight, my arm sore beyond anything I experienced, it felt good, really good. The body having stopped twitching minutes ago, lay stone cold. I shove what remains of the cane into what I think is his windpipe since it’s all a collage of red.  
I fall onto my ass from exhaustion, I take a few moments trying to catch my breath. I did it, I actually did it. I break out into laughter getting up, only to slip and fall into the mess I made yet again. Which makes me laugh harder, this was fantastic, this absolute fucking fantastic rush I had. Sophia and Aria just look at me, before smiling and helping me up. They dust off as much gore as they could, but my suit would need a few extra cleanings later, maybe a burning. I turned to the crowd after the crazy chuckling ended. I looked at Sophia and Aria with tears in my eyes, this was by far the best birthday I ever had. Grabbing their hands, I lift them up before bowing to the audience.  
"And so ends our show for today, hope you enjoyed it, we sure did. Any business you have please direct them to me after everyone leaves, otherwise please enjoy the rest of the night, there's plenty of food and drink left." I bow one more time, before walking through a backstage door towards my bedroom.  
"Think that impressed them?" I smell myself, sickly sweet flavor, disgusting, but don't overly hate it, I definitely need a shower.

"I'm sure they will respect you for your great performance, Lor- Darling." Aria murmurs clasping her hands together, gazing again at the ring.  
"I doubt they will make any wrong moves, they fear you now, Mas- Honey." Sophia blandly stated, as if talking about useless facts, blushing slightly.  
"Oh, by the way. Where should we have the honeymoon?" Pushing the bedroom door open and holding it for my blood and gore encrusted newlywed brides. They curtsy walking inside.  
"I always wanted to go see the Bio domes on the moon, I hear they have interesting and exotic flowers." Aria gushed, taking the ribbon scarf off, throwing it into the hamper.  
"I wanted to go see the J.M. Davis Arms & Historical Museum, and study every gun they have there, how would sex on a pile of guns feel?" Sophia chimed in taking the flowers out of her hair, setting them on the dresser.  
"Well, the sky isn't the limit, now let's take a shower." Closing the door behind me after setting a 'Don't disturb' sign on the door handle.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

He closed the book laughing to himself. The candle flame flickered as a door opened. He looked up as the sound of clicking heels came down the endless halls of books. Two 7 foot nandroids turned the corner talking to themselves, upon seeing him, their faces lit up.  
"My lord, I have prepared brunch as requested, Steamed ham and eggs with cherry tarts, Would you mind joining me and Sophia?" The Com-droid with longblack hair, bowed to him. He stood up tucking the journal into his white suit's inner pocket before nodding to her.   
"Yes, I was just finishing up here, I shall walk back with you at once, give me a few seconds." She nodded as she licked her lips, her red eyes watched him, a predator tracking her prey. He closed the inkwell with a snap into his pocket. Pen capped and put into his right breast pocket.   
"Master, reports on the latest competitors actions." A Com-droid with a long blonde braid with azure eyes, said bowing to him.  
"I'll read them after we're done eating, good job." He petted her head, her cheek sensors turning pink.  
"How was your day, my lord?” He turned to the one with black hair smiling, wrinkles scrunched up on his face.

"Fantastic, I was just researching some material. It got better when you both got here though." She clapped her hands, her cheek receptors turning red, embarrassed.   
"It can't be helped,” She huffed, crossing her arms, before looking back at him, her cheek receptors slowly turning back to pink. “I'll-I'll let you hold my hand, as a reward, my d-darling..." She turned away, one hand covering her face, the other was outstretched for him to accept her proposal. He thanked her as he bowed in return for such a courtesy, he took her delicate hand into his.  
"H-Honey, could I hold your hand too?" Looking at the floor, holding out her hand.  
"A beautiful woman offering me her hand, how could I resist?" He laughed, grabbing her smaller hand in his. They walked towards the dining hall. They all smiled at each other, as they walked through the door whence they came, white light filtered into the library. The candle flickered violently once more from the sudden pressure change, before going out. The only light left illuminating the books was the bright white light of the door, before it closed. Leaving everything in complete, and total darkness.  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

**Author's Note:**

> Sorry, to all those who liked my erratic short stories, giving comments and kudos, I asked around for criticism and most said my stories felt rushed and lore dumps. I agreed with most of it so I deleted most of my stories that didn't pass my new parameters, and so I will be going over each and everyone slowly making sure it gets pumped full of the despair, suspense, and surprise you like until it overloads.
> 
> Anyway, hope you enjoyed this one. 
> 
> And special thanks to RustyHorns, who put up with me, and helped me edit, even though he didn't have to.


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